he said, it contained religiously inappropriate content. 24 YouTube and Google have
denied that they are engaged in plans to censor online content in the UAE. 25
Although Etisalat and Du conform to the TRA policies by automatically blocking
Web sites that offer free VoIP services, individuals—including Internet cafe ´ owners—
have found ways of getting around the ban by using the Internet to make cheap international calls. Violators have been prosecuted. For example, a police officer in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah warned several Internet cafe ´ owners against the use of ‘‘illegal
calling cards’’ for making inexpensive international telephone calls. Several violating
cafe ´s were referred to the police for investigation. 26
Surveillance
The authorities have established committees and electronic surveillance departments
to monitor objectionable Internet activities. For example, a government committee
was established in March 2009 to monitor Internet cafe ´s in order to ensure that Internet connections in these cafe ´s do not bypass filtering regimes set up by the two
national ISPs, as per the regulations of the TRA. This move was in response to speculation that some Internet cafe ´s provided unfiltered Internet connections using virtual
private networks (VPNs). 27
In addition, an online surveillance team was set up by Dubai Police to carry out
around-the-clock checks on the Internet. The team, known as e-police, investigated a
total of 222 cases in 2008. The cases include 87 involving fraud and other financial
crimes, 38 cases of illegal hacking, and 92 cases of defamation and extortion. The electronic patrol team has set up special forums and used assumed names in an attempt to
collect information about potential criminal activity. 28 This online surveillance department announced in April 2009 that it managed to track down and later arrest women
who promoted their sexual services online and publicized their Dubai phone numbers
on Web sites. In addition, the surveillance team announced that it managed to track
down individuals who offered inexpensive illegal VoIP services from their apartments. 29
ONI Testing Results
OpenNet Initiative testing in 2008–2009 revealed that the UAE’s censors have
increased the scope and depth of Internet filtering.
One of the significant policy shifts that occurred during 2008–2009 testing is the implementation of TRA-mandated filtering by the ISP Du, which used to offer unfettered
access to the Internet in the Dubai free zones, including Dubai Media City, Dubai
Internet City, and the residential areas affiliated with the free zones. Du began filtering
on April 14, 2008; 2008–2009 test results show that its filtering is almost as extensive
as that of the other national ISP, Etisalat, which has the lion’s share of the market.
United Arab Emirates
593
denied that they are engaged in plans to censor online content in the UAE. 25
Although Etisalat and Du conform to the TRA policies by automatically blocking
Web sites that offer free VoIP services, individuals—including Internet cafe ´ owners—
have found ways of getting around the ban by using the Internet to make cheap international calls. Violators have been prosecuted. For example, a police officer in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah warned several Internet cafe ´ owners against the use of ‘‘illegal
calling cards’’ for making inexpensive international telephone calls. Several violating
cafe ´s were referred to the police for investigation. 26
Surveillance
The authorities have established committees and electronic surveillance departments
to monitor objectionable Internet activities. For example, a government committee
was established in March 2009 to monitor Internet cafe ´s in order to ensure that Internet connections in these cafe ´s do not bypass filtering regimes set up by the two
national ISPs, as per the regulations of the TRA. This move was in response to speculation that some Internet cafe ´s provided unfiltered Internet connections using virtual
private networks (VPNs). 27
In addition, an online surveillance team was set up by Dubai Police to carry out
around-the-clock checks on the Internet. The team, known as e-police, investigated a
total of 222 cases in 2008. The cases include 87 involving fraud and other financial
crimes, 38 cases of illegal hacking, and 92 cases of defamation and extortion. The electronic patrol team has set up special forums and used assumed names in an attempt to
collect information about potential criminal activity. 28 This online surveillance department announced in April 2009 that it managed to track down and later arrest women
who promoted their sexual services online and publicized their Dubai phone numbers
on Web sites. In addition, the surveillance team announced that it managed to track
down individuals who offered inexpensive illegal VoIP services from their apartments. 29
ONI Testing Results
OpenNet Initiative testing in 2008–2009 revealed that the UAE’s censors have
increased the scope and depth of Internet filtering.
One of the significant policy shifts that occurred during 2008–2009 testing is the implementation of TRA-mandated filtering by the ISP Du, which used to offer unfettered
access to the Internet in the Dubai free zones, including Dubai Media City, Dubai
Internet City, and the residential areas affiliated with the free zones. Du began filtering
on April 14, 2008; 2008–2009 test results show that its filtering is almost as extensive
as that of the other national ISP, Etisalat, which has the lion’s share of the market.
United Arab Emirates
593